Having spent three years within the Karkariya, I feel compelled to present a very brief overview of this revivalist Sufi order, often misunderstood both within the Arab world and beyond.

My aim is to clarify some foundational aspects of the path that remain largely unknown to the wider public, especially to those who are swayed by misguided criticisms of the ṭarīqa. I do not claim to represent the ṭarīqa officially—since, apart from the Shaykh, it has no designated spokesperson. Instead, I offer insights based on my personal experience as a young Tunisian disciple who has visited the Karkariya zāwiya several times, accumulating almost half a year of companionship (ṣuḥba) with the Shaykh and his disciples.

During the past three years, I undertook spiritual seclusion (khulwa), received spiritual secrets from the Shaykh, and engaged closely with the beliefs and practices of the Karkariya, both in Morocco and Tunisia. This perspective comes from an insider—someone who initially rejected and even despised the ṭarīqa before eventually embracing it and undergoing a gradual transformation of identity. While I do not claim the authority to define the ṭarīqa, the words I offer here are rooted in personal engagement and the authority of lived experience.

The Karkariya

The Karkariya (al-Ṭarīqa al-Karkariyya) is recognized as one of the renowned global Sufi orders (ṭuruq), officially adhering to the school of Ahl al-Sunna wa-l-Jamāʿa (the traditional Sunni madhhab). It adopts the Mālikī school of jurisprudence and the Ashʿarī creed (ʿaqīda). The Karkariya is a living Sufi order whose founder and saintly master is Shaykh Mohamed Faouzi al-Karkari (quddisa sirruh), who was born in 1974. The order emphasizes the purification of the soul (tazkiyat al-nafs) with the aim of drawing nearer to God (taqarrub ilā Allāh) and attaining divine knowledge (maʿrifa). This is achieved through the witnessing of the manifestations of divine light (tajalliyāt nūr Allāh) experienced in acts of worship, such as dhikr (remembrance of God) and night prayers (qiyām al-layl).

The Goal of Sufism and the Station of Iḥsān

The ultimate objective of Sufism (taṣawwuf) is to attain the station of spiritual excellence (maqām al-iḥsān), as defined by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): "To worship Allah as though you see Him, and if you do not see Him, then recognize that He sees you." This station embodies a state of witnessing (shuhūd), where the seeker (murīd), as the ḥadīth explains, perceives (or strives to perceive) the disclosures (tajalliyāt) of Allah in all things. Divine light (nūr) serves as the primary means to reach this station, acting as the illuminator that enables the seeker to perceive things in their true nature. The idea of divine light is found in both the Qurʾān and the Prophetic tradition (sunna), although it is often mistakenly associated nowadays by many Muslims with sorcery (siḥr) and voodoo-like practices (shaʿwādha).

Light and Beneficial Knowledge

The Karkariya seekers are blessed by the baraka of their Shaykh through the witnessing and perception of divine light (nūr Allāh), which is described in the Qurʾān as a niche (mishkāt), lamp (miṣbāḥ), glass (zujāja), and radiant star (kawkab durrī).

This perceived light is, in reality, the immanent exemplification (mathal) of the attribute of the Creator (ṣifat al-bārī). It bears no connection to Satan, for darkness and light cannot coexist, and Satan represents complete darkness devoid of light.

Through this light, the Karkarī seekers strive to reach higher spiritual stations (maqāmāt) and acquire beneficial knowledge (ʿulūm nāfiʿa) that draws them closer to God and annihilate them in His presence. The intensity of the light increases with good deeds and diminishes in cases of negligence, in accordance with the Prophetic ḥadīth reported by Ibn ʿAbbās. Therefore, considering the aims and practices of the Karkariya, could a sound mind still view this as a form of spiritual deception (istidrāj) or see it as aligned with the devils' goals, as described in the scriptures?

Distancing from Sorcery and Dark Magic

The Karkariya order stresses indeed the need, as a religious obligation, to avoid engaging with any form of sorcery (siḥr) and voodoo-like practices (shaʿwādha). These dark traditions corrupt the soul and harm individuals, distancing them from their Creator.

The order calls for sincerity of intention (niyya) and purifying the self from anything that hinders closeness to God. This is achieved through righteous deeds (aʿmāl ṣāliḥa), such as dhikr, prayer, fasting (ṣawm), fulfilling the needs of others, spreading joy (isʿād), and maintaining kinship ties (ṣilat al-arḥām). Visitors to the Karkariya lodge (zāwiya) in Morocco can witness the commitment of the Shaykh and his disciples to the exoteric teachings of Islam. As such, they have no involvement in dark practices or sorcery, which are typically associated with impurity (najāsa), corruption (rijs), desecration of the Qurʾān, neglect of prayer (ṣalāt), and sowing discord among people.

Energy Sciences

Regarding the new age energy sciences (ʿulūm al-ṭāqa) and related rituals, they are often linked to a modern Western adaptation of East and South Asian beliefs and practices. While some aspects of these beliefs may contain elements of truth, the Karkariya, in alignment with traditional Sufism, maintains that Islamic law (sharīʿa) remains supreme, complete, and the final revelation among all divine laws. Salvation is achieved by adhering to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who provided the essence of what is beneficial for both faith and worldly matters.

The seeker on the path who has received the light of God and experienced witnessing (shuhūd), even once, must avoid engaging with the practices and philosophies of these traditions. Many of these practices, such as meditation (taʾammul) without the remembrance of God (dhikr), are not encouraged in Islam, as they can lead the practitioner to descend into lower realms with no benefit. In contrast, meditation involving reflection (tafakkur) alongside dhikr is encouraged, as mentioned in the Qurʾān: "Those who remember God while standing, sitting, and lying on their sides, and reflect upon the creation of the heavens and the earth: 'Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly. Exalted are You; protect us from the punishment of the Fire'" (Qurʾān 3:191). This is, in fact, the initial sunna and practice that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) engaged in at the Cave of Ḥirāʾ.

Conclusion

I would like to conclude by expressing my conviction that the Karkariya Sufi order will continue to guide those seeking to purify their souls in accordance with the teachings of our noble religion, remaining free from the influences of sorcery (siḥr) and new age spiritual practices. It is a genuine revivalist Sufi order, offering a clear path toward nearness to God. Not only does it revive the Sufi discourse globally, rekindling discussion about forgotten Sufi theology and practices, but it also enlivens the heart with the light (nūr) of its Shaykh (quddisa sirruh), who inherited his sanctified station from the luminous chain of the transcendent blessed olive tree, tracing back to the Prophet and his family (peace be upon them).

There is nothing to fear in this path except the nafs and its darkness. And to dispel any doubt, performing two units of prayer in istikhāra, asking Allah to reveal the reality of this path, is sufficient to understand its true worth.